Gray Fire
by WolfGemtail
Summary: Dawn and Paul had things going great... until they get attacked by something. N saves them and now Dawn finds herself in the Unova region traveling with Hilda to find answers. Paul meanwhile is planning revenge on the monster that changed their lives forever. M for violence and cuz I'm paranoid. Only OCs are pokemon and minor characters. Ikarishipping and some Ferriswheelshipping.
1. Some hearts heal, others scar

**There will be some OC pokemon and of course there is an enemy! But I can't tell you... that would ruin it!**

* * *

_With Dawn and her pokemon..._

Dawn had just won the title of top coordinator and she was celebrating with her pokemon. She was so happy and her pokemon were all dancing together at a party that Zoey held in her honor. Dawn, Zoey, Cynthia, and Reggie were talking to her.

"You did great, Dawn! I was suprised at how quickly your lopbunny had adapted to its new body in battle." Reggie said.

"Yeah. My heart sank when I saw her evolve on the feild. I thought for sure that you would lose. A pokemon evolving in the middle of a match is a coordinators worst nightmare and yet you three still pulled through. Even piplup quickly adapted to the change. They fought together like buneary was always a lopbunny. You must be very proud of her." Zoey said.

"I am very proud. I thought I was done for when she evolved. We barely won against Ursula and her eeveelution twins. We only won by one point." Dawn said.

"You guys need to have more faith in Dawn and her pokemon. I knew you would win this year." Cynthia said.

"Of course. You're always right aren't you, Cynthia." Reggie said in a teasing tone.

"Of course I am. Oh, what will happen when she see's pikachu again?" She asked with a small smirk.

Everyone laughed.

"So how's Paul?" Dawn asked Reggie.

Zoey gave her a questioning look. In Zoey's mind, Paul is a heartless jerk. She has no idea why Dawn would even so much as mention him.

Reggie smiled at the question.

"He's doing fine. He's a lot more easier on his pokemon now a days. I'm pretty sure he will beat Cynthia this year. But he rarely comes home so I don't entirely know the extent of his training. His pokemon do seem a lot more happier so I'm sure he's not berating them like he used to. He is also a lot more quiet. I don't know why but he seems normal other than that." Reggie said.

"This is Paul we're talking about. How can he be more quiet?" Dawn asked.

"He just is. I sometimes hardly ever know he's home nowadays." Reggie said.

"Wow. I didn't think his final match with Ash effected him that much." Zoey said.

"I know right? It's good to see a change in him but I do wish he would talk a little more. Sure he'll answer my questions but other than that, I won't hear anything else from him. I also caught him watching some of your battles on tv. I never asked why. I'm sure he watched your final match today. I think he might be fond of you, Dawn." Reggie said.

Dawn blushed while everyone laughed at her. Then she saw flashes and heard noises in a nearby forest out the window. Reggie took notice and also looked out.

"What's that?" Dawn asked.

"I don't know and I don't like it." Reggie said.

"Neither do I." Cynthia said.

"Let's check it out." Zoey said.

Dawn and everyone else, including her pokemon, left the party to go see what was causing all the flashes. The closer they got, the louder the noises got. Something was fighting a very powerful pokemon. Then they heard a familiar and frantic voice shout:

"Electevire! Use lightning punch!"

"That sounds like Paul!" Reggie said.

Reggie ran ahead and everyone else ran to catch up. Everyone was shocked when they got there.

Torterra was bleeding from multiple cuts and was coughing up blood. Honchcrow was laying in a bloody heep barely breathing. Magmortar was bleeding from a big cut that stretched from his should to his hip and was struggling to breath. His ursaring was missing an ear, her tail was cut off and her right arm was bent out of shape while her left shoulder was dislocated and she also had several cuts.

Paul's weaville only had a limp and was trying to help all the other pokemon in anyway he could. Electevire had several wounds but he kept fighting.

The thing that did this looked dark and it had red eyes and an evil grin. It dodged electevire's attack like it was nothing. It was also hurt but it seemed to love pain.

"Is that... A chancey?" Dawn asked shocked.

"It can't be! A chancey would never do this and it's not the right color!" Zoey shouted.

The dark chancey smirk evilly and made a move for Dawn. Dawn's lopbunny jumped infront of Dawn protectively. Paul noticed and was about to tell electevire to do something but weaville blocked the attack instead.

He tried blocking it with his claws but the the chancey broke through his defense and took weaville's right eye. Weaville fell to the ground clutching where his eye used to be. Lopbunny ran up to him and used the fluff on her ears to stop the bleeding.

The chancey was about to attack again but electivire blocked its attack using protect but the chancey broke through it and delivered a final and fatal blow to his head. Electevire fell to the ground dead.

"ELECTEVIRE!" Paul shouted.

The dark chancey turned back to Paul, laughing evilly and hystarically like this was all the world's funniest joke to him. Paul glared at it and he ran towards it in his rage, shouting curses at it. The chancey's laugh got louder the closer he got.

Weaville quickly got up and grabbed Paul before the chancey would do anything to him.

"Let me go! I'll kill it for what it did!" Paul shouted in Weaville's grip.

Weaville ran over and gave Paul to Reggie. Normally Paul would be humiliated at being carried by his brother like he was some sort of child but he was too angry to even care.

"Then use ice punch on that bastard!" Paul shouted at weaville.

Weaville gladly did what it was told. He readied an ice punch and ran toward the chancey. But the chancey dodged and was about to get weaville with a fatal blow but then something else hit it with an ice punch.

It was lopbunny. The chancey fell backwards and rolled into a tree. It got up and looked at lopbunny with an evil grin. It must have said something disturbing because lopbunny got a horrified look on her face and weaville jumped in front of her growling loudly.

The dark chancey attacked weaville and it attempted to kill him by using metal claw but then piplup used hydropump to get him off. The chancey was blasted next to Reggie and the chancey attempted to hit him and Paul with a fatal blow but weaville pulled them out of the way but Paul still obtained a cut on his cheek below his right eye.

Weaville got pissed for the fact that Paul was hurt and he ran towards the chancey using metal claw but the chancey just knocked him away with his own metal claw. Weaville was throw against a tree and he got knocked out.

Dawn's mamoswine charged at the dark chancey using ancient power but the chancey dodged it and cut off mamoswine's tusks. Mamoswine got even more pissed and charged at it nonstop. The chancey just jumped in the air and raked it's back using metal claw. Mamoswine fell onto the ground after awhile from blood loss.

Piplup charged at it but he got knocked back with a metal claw. He got a cut across his body. Dawn caught him and ran back with everyone else. Piplup was in bad shape.

Dawn's other pokemon huddled behind lopbunny and togekiss as the chancey turned toward them and smirked at lopbunny. Lopbunny grew horrified and all everyone else could do was helplessly watch in horror as the chancey made his way towards them.

Then a rock suddenly hit it in the head. It was Dawn. She threw another one and it hit the chancey in the eye. It roared with anger and it ran toward her using fury swipes. Dawn closed her eyes expecting to get killed but nothing came except for a warm liquid flying onto her hand. Dawn opened her eyes to see Paul blocking the attacks using his back. His face was scrunched up in pain as he received multiple hits on his back.

Paul forced open his eyes and looked Dawn in the eyes.

"R-run! Run troublesome!" he said through his clenched jaw.

Lopbunny ran up and pulled Dawn and piplup away from him and the dark chancey. Dawn reached out towards him as she was getting pulled away.

Paul passed out from the pain but the chancey still kepted on cutting his back while he was down. Dawn stared horrified and scared. Tears rolled down her face as she watched feeling more helpless than ever.

"St-s-sto-op" she choked.

The chancey continued still.

"Stop!" Dawn said a little louder.

The dark chancey didn't even bat an ear.

"Stop this!" Dawn screamed.

"Zoroark! Use dark pulse!" a strange voice shouted.

A huge mass of darkness hit the dark chancey. The zoroark pinned it against a tree and a man with green hair and blue grey eyes.

"Who made you this way! Was it Ghetsis?" He asked.

The chancey talked to him. The zoroark's claws clenched and the strange man started to glare at the dark chancey.

Then the strange man pulled out a master ball and captured the chancey. Then he grabbed a cell phone and started calling for help.

"There are a lot of injured pokemon and a badly injured boy. One pokemon is deceased and the rest are in bad shape. " He said.

He turned back and noticed piplup. He bolted over. Dawn was holding piplup close and crying.

"Piplup! Don't leave me!...Please..." she pleaded.

The strange man knelt down beside her and put his hand on piplup. Dawn pulled him away and looked at the strange man.

"Who are you?" she asked.

"I am N Harmonia. Let me see. I won't hurt him anymore than he is." N promised.

Dawn allowed him to look at piplup's injury. N flinched at the look of it. He was cut all the way across his body and losing a lot of blood... or he lost a lot of blood. He didn't seem to have any left. He muttered something into piplups ear and piplup said a few final words before he shuttered one final time.

Dawn broke down crying.

"He said that he's always with you." N said before getting up and walking away.

* * *

Dawn waited outside the emergency room. Her only source of comfort was her pachirisu curled up in her lap, attempting to sleep. The rest of her pokemon were getting checked over. She and her freinds were waiting to hear if Paul will be alright. Then the doctor came out.

"He will be fine. He's just going to have a lot of scars. You may go in and check on him if you want." he said.

Reggie bolted in while the others followed. Dawn slowly got up and slowly walked in. Reggie was hugging Paul, much to Paul's delight. Paul may be weak from blood loss but he was strong enough to attempt to get out of the hug. He decided to make up an excuse.

"Reggie... get off! That hurts!" Paul snarled.

Reggie let go of him.

"Sorry. It's just that I thought I lost you." he said.

Dawn glumly stared out the window.

"What's with her?" Paul asked.

Reggie quietly explained to him what happened. Paul's fists clenched in anger as he listened.

Everyone was told to leave but the doctor couldn't seem to get her attention. The world was dead to her at the moment.

"Leave her. Her mother will be coming for her soon." Reggie said."

The doctor left the two alone in the room. Paul stared at her and she stared out the window.

"Troublesome." Paul said trying to get her attention.

She didn't move.

"Troublesome!" Paul said a little louder.

She still stared out the window.

"DAWN!" He shouted.

She looked at him. She walked over to him and sat down on a nearby chair. A single tear rolled down her cheek as she sat there. Paul did the unexpected and wiped the tear away. Dawn suddenly hugged him and started crying again.

Instead of pushing her off, he hugged back. She buried her head into his chest and cried harder. Now they finally had something in common: They both lost a pokemon that was valuable to them.

Pachirisu just sat in the middle of the bed and looked on. He really wished he could do something to help. He finally just walked up and snuggled against Dawn's side.

Paul didn't really know what else to do other than hug back. He just stood there trying not to cry as well. Paul was a little shocked at the realization that he was about to cry. He didn't want to cry, especially not infront of Dawn.

Then a knock was at the door. Dawn's mother Johanna had arrived. Dawn saw her and quickly ran into her arms and they both cried in the doorway.

Paul just kept his head down to hide his face because he knew that he would probably come close to breaking down then and there if he even glanced at them. Johanna walked up to him.

"Thank you for saving her." she said.

"Yeah... No problem." he said.

Johanna was heading towards the door. Paul noticed a weight on his lap. It was pachirisu. He gently picked him up.

"Hey, you forgot something." he said holding pachirisu out towards them.

Dawn ran back in a grabbed pachirisu. She locked eyes with Paul for a minute and then she kissed him on the cheek. Paul froze.

"Thank you." she said before running to catch up with her mother.

Paul put his hand on the spot where she kissed him. He laid back down on the hospital bed.

_At least something good happened. _He thought as he fell asleep.

* * *

_Two weeks later..._

Dawn was sitting on the couch with an egg in her lap. Her mother's umbreon got lost out in a storm and then she came back home with a jolteon. He wanted to stay with umbreon and there was no convincing him otherwise so Johanna decided to add him to the family by capturing him. He didn't even try to put up a fight. He just saw the ball and he just closed his eyes and let it catch him.

The next day Dawn found the egg in her room in the bean bag chair. Umbreon and jolteon were snuggled next to it. Jolteon got up to defend it but umbreon stopped him. They allowed Dawn to have the egg. Johanna figured that umbreon just wanted her to feel better and so she gave her an egg.

Dawn laid there with the egg and then she got to thinking about that night two weeks ago. She wanted to know more about who created the monster that killed piplup. She couldn't and wasn't about to just sit here and do nothing.

Dawn did research on N and found out that he was once the leader of a group called team plasma. In her research, she found out that he was just a figure head and that the real leader was Ghetsis. A girl named Hilda stopped them from suceeding with their plan. The police decided not to file charges against N but they do want him for questioning.

Dawn decided to travel to the Unova region for answers. Maybe the girl named Hilda will know something. Johanna just came back from shopping.

"Mom, I want to go to the Unova region." Dawn said.

"Huh? What for?" she asked.

"To see if I can find some more moves for contests and I'm also interested in pokemon musicals. Those sound interesting. I also want to add some new freinds to my team." she said.

"Okay. Just call often, alright?" she said.

"I will whenever I can." Dawn said running upstairs to grab some things.

* * *

_Three weeks later..._

Dawn was now wearing some dark denim blue short shorts and a light blue shirt with a flower design on it. Her usual red scarf was replaced with a white one. She wasn't wearing a hat anymore.

She was bording a plane with a shiny eevee trailing behind her. This eevee healed Dawn's broken heart ever since she hatched. Dawn even named her. A flight attendent suddenly stopped Dawn.

"Miss, is that eevee yours?" he asked.

Dawn looked back at her eevee to see her at the bottom of the stairs.

"Yes, she is." she answered.

"You might want to return her to her ball." he said.

"She hates her ball. Hope, come on girl. You'll be left behind." Dawn said.

Hope ran up and hopped onto Dawn's shoulders. She nuzzled Dawn's cheek. Dawn giggled and patted her on the back. Dawn sat down in her seat and she looked out the window.

It was a sunny day. Before Hope hatched, whenever Dawn looked outside, it would always seem to be raining. Now it was like Hope cleared the clouds away. That is why Dawn named her hope.

Dawn now had a new faithful companion that will always stay close at her side. Hope wasn't here to replace piplup but she filled a void that was there when that night happened.

The plane took off. Hope was startled and yelped in suprise. Dawn giggled and patted her on the head.

"It's alright. We'll be fine." Dawn soothed.

"Vee." Hope responded.

Hope curled up on Dawn's lap and fell asleep. Dawn stroked her and then she felt tired. She also fell asleep.

* * *

_With Paul..._

Paul was changing out the dressings on his weaville's eye... or where it used to be. Both of them were upset to hear that his eye wasn't salvageable and it had to be removed or else he would have gotten a fatal infection.

Paul's ursaring was healed though her pride was wounded because of the loss of her ear and tail. She was hungry for revenge.

All of Paul's pokemon wanted revenge. Paul was no exception. He just wanted a pokemon to fill in electevire's place. Paul picked an absol he captured in the hoenn region.

Paul was hell bent on revenge. He was packing to go train on Mt. Coronet. He wasn't going to come down until he was sure that they could each rip that dark chancey apart. It was another month until the Sinnoh league championship begins.

Paul was going to participate and consider it part of his pokemon's training. He was hell bent on besting every apponent he goes against. He furiously walked up the mountain trails. He and his pokemon trained harder than ever and it was because they all wanted vengence and they will be damned if they lose even one battle against any participants in the sinnoh league. Then Reggie decided to visit while they were training.

Ursaring leveled a huge boulder to the ground using hammer arm. Reggie whistled in amazement.

"You've been training hard." He said.

Paul acknowledged with a grunt and then he went back to training his pokemon. His absol was fighting a wild mamoswine, magmortar was fighting a very powerful onyx and the rest of his pokemon were fighting either a boulder or they were allowed to rest.

_At least he lets them rest. _Reggie thought as he watched.

Reggie had brought up some lunch for everyone and he also brought a gift for Paul. A trainer didn't want it and let Reggie keep it.

"I got something for you. A trainer didn't want it and I thought you should have it." Reggie said pulling an object from his bag.

Paul turned around to see Reggie holding an egg. Paul got angry.

"Are you trying to replace electevire?" he seethed.

"No. Did I say I was?" Reggie said.

"Keep it. I have no time to raise hatchlings." Paul said.

"I didn't say you have to raise it now. Just keep it." Reggie said.

"Hn. Fine, set it down." He said.

Reggie set the egg and the food down next to Paul's stuff.

"Will you ever be happy?" Reggie asked Paul.

Paul shrugged.

"Maybe someday but not anytime soon." he answered.

Reggie sighed and left.

* * *

_Back with Dawn..._

Dawn was in Nuvema town. She was here to meet with professor juniper and claim her starter pokemon of this region. Dawn arrived late in the year and was warned that Dawn might have to go out and catch a pokemon instead of getting a starter. The only pokemon Dawn had other than Hope was her quilava. The rest were back home.

Professor Juniper came up to Dawn with a frown on her face. Dawn had a feeling.

"I'm sorry but I don't have anymore starters." she said.

"It's okay." Dawn said.

"Hold on, are you Dawn?" a girl's voice asked.

"Yes" Dawn answered turning to whoever said it.

The voice belonged to Hilda, the current champion of the Unova region. She walked up and shook Dawn's hand.

"Hello, My name is Hilda." She said.

"Nice to meet you but how did you know my name?" Dawn asked.

"I watched you win the title of top coordinator. You were great. But where's piplup?" she asked.

Dawn flinched but she told her the story.

"Who was the strange man?" Hilda asked.

"He said that his name is N Harmonia." Dawn answered.

Hilda gasped.

"How was he?" she asked.

Dawn was taken aback by her excitement.

"He seemed fine. Why?" Dawn asked.

"Oh nothing... Hilda here is just in love with him." Professor Juniper said in a teasing tone.

Hilda blushed.

"Sh-Shut up! So what if I am?" Hilda said flustered.

"Umm... Isn't he a little old for you?" Dawn asked.

"N is only twenty and Hilda is turning eighteen in a month. It's not that big of an age gap." Professor Juniper said.

"You're seventeen? Sure you look older than me but I didn't think you were that much older!" Dawn said shocked.

"Yes. I've been trying to find him." Hilda said.

"I've been trying to find him so I could ask him questions. I want to know more about Ghetsis and what he was planning on doing with that thing he supposedly made." Dawn said.

"Maybe you two should look for him together." Professor Juniper suggested.

"You know, that's not a bad idea. How bout it?" Hilda asked Dawn.

"Sure!" Dawn answered.

"Oh! I almost forgot." Hilda said reaching into her pocket.

She pulled out a pokeball.

"You need a starter, right? My brother's serperior laid two eggs and I was given both of them. They hatched since then and I think you should have this one." Hilda said giving her a pokeball.

"Thank you, Hilda." Dawn said.

Dawn released the pokemon inside the ball to see a snivy. It was a male and he seemed to have a calm and colected nature.

"Hello... umm... What is he?" Dawn asked.

"That's a snivy and I suggest you nickname him because he might get mixed up with his brother." Hilda answered.

"Okay... I'll call you... umm... Rye. You like it?" she said.

"Sni" he answered nodding his head.

"Great name. I named mine Sire." Hilda said.

Hilda released Sire from his ball.

"Sniiii!" he cried exictedly.

Sire had a jolly personality. He seemed to also like picking on his brother. He jumped onto Rye's tail. Rye pinned Sire to the ground. Rye was obviously the dominant brother. He got off of Sire as soon as he apologized.

Hope climbed off of Dawn's shoulder and she hesitantly walked up to Rye. Sire looked at her for a minute and then smirked. He thinks he found a new playmate. The only problem is that he likes to play rough.

Sire tackled her. Hope was startled and tried to get him off. He just kept her pinned and then Rye grabbed him and threw him off of Hope. Hope got up and nuzzled Rye as a sign of gratitude.

"Sorry about that. Sire was just trying to play." Hilda said.

"It's alright. I just hope he'll learn about boundaries soon." Dawn said.

"I hope so too. Hey, let's stop by my house. You can stay the night and then we'll leave tomorrow." Hilda said.

"Okay" Dawn said.

"Great! Let's go!" Hilda said happily.

* * *

**Two hearts have broken from the fight. One has nearly healed completly while the other heart was broken and didn't heal right.**

**Will Dawn and her new freind, Hilda, find N? Will Paul win the Sinnoh league championship?**


	2. New Beginnings for some

**Another chapter! Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own pokemon. (If I did, there would be a lot of pairings.)**

* * *

_With paul..._

The egg had hatched into a shiny absol. Paul now remembered that his absol had been bred and the egg was hers. No wonder Reggie wanted him to keep it. He even went as far as to make up a story saying that is was another trainer's so he would keep it. Paul didn't beleive in having related pokemon in his team. However, instead of releasing the newly hatched absol, he decided to keep it because it somehow knew aura sphere and it was shiny.

The young absol was strong for a tiny hatchling. He was eager to please no matter how much Paul berated him. Every time Paul found a flaw in the absol, he would descipline him harshly. The absol would just brush himself off and be more determined to live up to Paul's standards. Reggie often admired the young absol whenever he visited.

"Look at him. He never seems to lose his spirit no matter what you do. He gets hit by a hammer arm and he just brushes it off as soon as he gets up. Spirit... I think he should be named that." Reggie said.

"What makes you think I'll name him?" Paul asked harshly.

"You have two absols and besides, I think he's something special. He's nothing like anything I've ever seen. He's only a week old and he was able to take down my staraptor." Reggie said.

"Hmph! Barely! I need him to be able to K.O. his apponents with one hit if he hopes to stay in my team. But maybe he might get to that level by the time of the Sinnoh league." Paul said.

"You're going to enter him?!" Reggie asked in amazement.

"If he's strong enough. Take his mother home with you. She's all yours now." Paul said before getting up to continue training.

Reggie was happy to know that Paul still respected the young absol to the point of considering to let him stay on the team. He smiled when he heard the next thing Paul said.

"Absol, if you can continue training, then I might consider naming you." He said patting the tired shiny absol on the head for a brief moment.

Paul may never admit it but he was also attached to the shiny absol. He too admired its iron will.

* * *

_Day of the sinnoh league..._

Paul was warming up his pokemon for todays battles. He had a good feeling about this week. He felt that he will win this year.

Spirit pulverised a boulder to dust with a shadow ball. Weaville was standing nearby the boulder and let out a startled yell. He then look back at Spirit and gave him a thumbs up... or a claws up in his case.

Spirit has earned his nickname well. Even now he still stands tall and proud. He was still happy somehow... Still full of spirit and spunk.

He kept the team lifted. He held them all together and somehow managed to keep them going through the worst of times. He was so young but he was already the strongest in the team. But Paul sometimes got agravated with him.

Mainly because Spirit would always find something to smile about. Paul envied him because of it. No matter how many times Paul would yell at him, no matter how many battles they lost, no matter how bad the situation got, Spirit would always find a reason to smile.

It was that smile that got them here. Even a hard ass like Paul can be lifted by the shiny absol. When Paul would be at his lowest, Spirit would find some way to bring him back up. It was too bad that Spirit still couldn't bring Paul out of his quest for vengeance.

Straight after this, Paul was going to Unova. He was not going to rest until he found the person responsible for killing one of his most valued pokemon... and they will pay for hurting Dawn as well.

Paul has had a small crush on her for a long time but he didn't realize that until last year. He shook his head of his thoughts.

Paul returned all his pokemon except Spirit. Spirit hated his pokeball. Paul and Spirit used to argue a lot about it until Paul finally caved one day and let him stay out.

Spirit walked quietly by Paul's side with a serious look about him. He didn't smile all the time like a retard but he still smiled at certain situations. They head towards the pokemon center where Paul rested his pokemon and called his brother.

Reggie's face appeared on the screen.

"Hey Paul! Good to see you!" Reggie said.

Suddenly, Spirit jumped up onto the screen exstatically when he noticed a familiar face in the background. It was his mother and she walked up to the screen and sat next to Reggie with a soft smile on her face. Spirit nuzzled and pawed the screen. Paul glared at him in annoyance.

If there was a reward for being the world's biggest mama's boy, then Spirit would be the all time champion.

A familiar lucario passed the screen and rolled his eyes but he none the less came over. It was Maylene's lucario and Spirit's father. He growled a greeting and Spirit barked in response. Then another smaller figure came to the screen and peered shyly up at the screen. Spirit nearly dug through the screen when he saw it. The little thing yelped in suprise and hid behind lucario. Maylene's laugh could be heard in the background.

Spirit's mother laid a second egg a week ago and now it looks like it's hatched into a riolu.

Paul finally tried shoving Spirit out of the way but Spirit stuck to it. Paul finally lifted Spirit off of the screen and kept a hold of him. Paul held Spirit like he was a small pokemon while Spirit just stared at his new sibling. Reggie used his webcam to take a picture because it wasn't everyday Paul held his pokemon and Spirit looked cute the way Paul held him. This picture was definitly blackmail material.

Maylene came into view and bursted out laughing as soon as she saw them.

"Spirit looks great as usual. I wish you were that excited to see me." Reggie teased.

"Haha." Paul said sarcastically and even made a sarcastic smile... which Reggie also took a picture of at the perfect time.

Now Reggie had a picture of Paul smiling with a pokemon in his arms. He was definitely going shopping for picture frames tonight.

"Today's the day. I know you will win. We all do." Reggie said.

"Tell him the news, Reggie! Tell him!" Maylene said exstatically bouncing up and down in the back.

"Oh yeah! How could I forget! I finally did it Paul!" Reggie said.

Paul smirked.

"You finally asked her didn't you?" He asked with a knowing smirk.

"YES!" Maylene shouted behind Reggie while holding her left hand infront of the screen.

On her ring finger was a shining silver ring with a simple daimond on it accented with two smaller daimonds on both sides.

Reggie and Maylene had been dating ever since Paul lost the Sinnoh league last year. Reggie had been planning to propose to her for awhile but he never had the guts until three days ago. He was holding the little riolu in his lap when an idea came to him.

* * *

_flashback..._

Reggie gave the riolu a note and told it to carry it to Maylene. The note said: go outside at midnight on the back porch. Maylene giggled. What game was Reggie planning this time? She wondered as she cuddled the young riolu.

Reggie quickly called up some freinds and went to look for a ring. He wanted something simple. Maylene wasn't the type that liked big blingee jewelry. He found her something simple and put it in a blue velvet box. The box felt like it was burning a hole in his pocket as he sat on the back porch and watched the young riolu play with it's mother and father. The little riolu was a girl. Reggie hoped that someday, he would also have a child and have a life just like these three.

Reggie made sure that everyone was in place before Maylene came back from the gym. The rest of the day, he acted like nothing was about to happen. But he did make a specail dinner for Maylene. It was steak and potatoes with a side of sauteed veggetables. This was Maylene's favorite dinner and she ate it ravenously as Reggie waded on her. He only sat down and ate his own food when he was certain Maylene didn't need anything else.

She insisted on helping with the dishes that night. They broke out into a splash fight a few minutes later. After the dishes and the kitchen were clean, Reggie went outside and returned every pokemon to their balls except his and Maylene's. Then Reggie came back in and sat next to Maylene on the couch to watch tv. Maylene sat on his lap and leaned against them as they watched a horror movie. Maylene clung to Reggie throughout the whole thing. Maylene would be like:

"Don't go that way. You'll die." she would say.

Then she would scream and cling to Reggie when the bad guy would kill the victim and then Maylene would turn around and say:

"I told you so!"

Then she would go back to clinging to Reggie.

Maylene went upstairs to shower at 11:00 p.m. Reggie made some last minute check ups and then waited. Maylene came out five minutes early.

"Okay. What is it?" she asked.

"Just wait a minute." He said.

They watch the little riolu play with her family. Her mother would play tag with her and let her win while her father would playfully fight with her and then play dead when she'd jump on him. Maylene leaned against Reggie and sighed.

"Someday, I want to have a little girl." Maylene said.

"Yeah... Me too." Reggie said.

Reggie was encouraged by her comment while Maylene was happy that he didn't argue or flinch at the comment. Most men would be scared of having children, especially girls. He didn't even so much as say anything about a son.

Maylene wondered if she would also do well with a son. She decided that it wouldn't really matter just as long as they were a family.

Maylene played with the thought of Paul being an uncle. Would he love the child? Would he even want anything to do with it? She giggled at the thought of a little kid following Paul around like: Let me love yoouuuuuu! Sometimes, kids seem drawn to distant people like Paul.

Reggie also played with the idea except that he knew Paul would probably like the kid. Paul would probably get along better with a little girl rather then a boy but Reggie couldn't really guess that. But he doubted that Paul will ignore his own neice or nephew.

Then Reggie's watch goes off and in the sky were fireworks. The display went on for half an hour until the fireworks formed a sentence. It was a question: Maylene, will you marry me?

Maylene was shocked. Reggie got on one knee and he had the box out and opened with the ring reflecting the lights of the fireworks. Maylene excepted with tears forming in her eyes as Reggie slid the ring on and they kissed. Maylene's Lucario sent up an aura sphere and Reggie's absol sent up a shadow ball. When the two sphere's hit, they made a giant explosion up in the air that made blue and pink lights scatter throughout the sky and they continued to shine until the lights hit the ground.

The city was showered with those lights that night and you could hear everyone cheering for the newly engaged couple.

* * *

"Good luck, little brother!" Maylene said before the screen went black.

Paul looked over to his left in the dark pokemon center. He half expected Dawn to be there blushing with embarassment about staring at him too long. He secretly thought that she looked cute but he covered it by walking away. He talked to her and she listened. She always tried to act nice to him whenever they'd meet.

She never seemed to hold much of a grudge against him like most girls did when he would snap at them. Zoey is a perfect example on how most girls act around him when he's met them before. Dawn was different. She only got mad at him if he did something rude to her but never seemed to remember the rude act when they would meet again.

One time, he acted like he didn't remember her just to see if she would hate him from that point on. It worked for a moment. She always tried to talk to him.

Paul walked out of the pokemon center and paused at a spot on the road. When they were talking right here, he had realized that he liked her. He looked up at the sky. It was clear today.

He wondered where Dawn could be at this moment.

* * *

Dawn sat in the park in Nimbasa city with her pokemon out. Her and Hilda still didn't have any leads. Normally, they would be in Icirrus town but there was a huge road block at Nacrene city. They had to stay there awhile. Dawn had caught a liepard and sent him home for her mom to look after because her mom fell in love with it the moment she saw him. Dawn ended up letting her mom have him.

They researched things about zekrom, the dragon pokemon N had. Maybe N is traveling where Zekrom would like to go. They found nothing but old legends. Nothing they found was a proven fact. But Dawn did find some interesting things. She read a book about the pokemon in Unova and she read about the history of Unova.

Then of course they both wanted to go shopping in Castelia City and have the famous Ice cream that's sold only in the city. They had to wait days to finally get some. They also researched there too. Nothing came up as usual.

Dawn now had a lillipup she called Rascal. He was called Rascal because the first time they saw him, Hilda called him a cute little rascal. The name seemed to stick with him.

They found Rascal in the desert. He was begging for water and Dawn shared her bottled water with him. He hasn't left her side since.

Dawn had just gotten back from a pokemon musical. She entered Hope in and ever since, people have been giving her gifts for her pokemon. Hope loved the musicals and she really loved the gifts. One in particular was a stuffed absol doll. It was a shiny absol and boy did Hope love that thing. She always carried it and would fight tooth and claw if someone took it away without permission. The girls called it her baby.

Today was their final day in Nimbasa city and Hilda was bringing some freinds of hers and they should be here any minute. Soon, Hilda arrived with three others. They all looked similar to her.

"Dawn, this is my twin brother Hilbert and the other two are my cousins, Rosa and Nate. Guys, meet Dawn. She's from the Sinnoh region." Hilda introduced.

They all greeted her and shook her hand. Then Rosa caught sight of hope.

"Oh my Arceus! It's an eevee! A shiny eevee! Can I hold it!?" she asked.

"Sure. Come here, Hope." Dawn called.

Hope carried her absol doll with her but the thing was dragging on the ground and she tried to carry it higher and she walked so funny. Dawn giggled at the sight while Hilda and Rosa both squealed on how cute she was. The boys fell over laughing. Hilbert quickly got a video of it with his phone. Hope jumped into Dawn's arms. Dawn gave her to Rosa to hold.

"Aww! You're so cute! I wish I could take you home but I can't!" Rosa said.

"Definitely not. I didn't nickname her for nothing." Dawn said.

"A cute thing like this does need a nickname. She's to precious not to." Rosa said.

"There must be a story behind the nickname. What is it?" Nate asked as he scratched Hope between the ears.

"It's a long one and I really don't want to talk about it." Dawn said.

"I'll tell you guys later. For now, let's just have a fun day at the amusement park like we planned!" Hilda said.

* * *

They were all in the ferriswheel to finish off the day. Dawn had a lot of fun. It turns out that Nate and Rosa are only fifteen. They're the same age as Dawn. A fact that didn't go unnoticed by Nate. He's been hitting on Dawn and she finally told him that she really doesn't think of him like that. He was cool about it but it still didn't seem to stop him from trying.

He was sitting next to Dawn and his hand 'accidentally' lands on hers. Dawn decided to let him have a small moment of triumph by not doing anything about it. Rosa teases Nate about it but Hilda whispers something in her ear.

"Oh! In that case, Nate get your hand off of her!" she said.

"Why?" he asks.

"Because I have a crush on someone else." Dawn said.

"Oh... you didn't tell me that. Oh well, I only get to see you for one night anyway." He said.

"That's the only reason why I haven't stopped you." Dawn said.

"What's the big deal? You're only holding her hand." Rosa said.

"Jealous much?" Dawn asks.

Nate laughs while Rosa made gagging noises.

"He's my brother! That's so gross!" she shouted.

"I didn't say of who or what. Do you wish you were in this position... with someone else?" Dawn asks smirking.

"I think I know who!" Hilbert said.

Rosa started blushing.

"What on earth are you talking about?" she said.

"Hugh! Who else?" Hilda said.

"I DO NOT!" she shouted flustered.

Hilda and the boys start chanting:

"You _**LOVE** _him! You think he's **_sexy!_**You want to **_fuck _**him!"

They all laugh at her expression.

"Whatever!" she said flustered as she looked out the window.

"Hey, can you see him from here?!" Nate asked in a teasing tone.

"Shut up Nate!" she snarled.

"Hey Dawn. What is the story behind Hope's name?" Hilbert asked.

"Let it go for now. I'll tell you guys while she's in the shower or something tonight." Hilda said.

"It's alright, Hilda. I'll tell them. I can't just forget it ever happened can I?" Dawn said.

"Well... if you want to then I guess it's alright." Hilda said.

Dawn tells them everything she could recall.

"That's so awful! Why would someone make such a pokemon? How could someone make such a pokemon?" Rosa gasped.

"I'm sorry for your loss. It must be horrible to lose your starter. I can't imagine my life without my embroar." Nate said.

"What does this have to do about Hope?" Hilbert asked.

"My mom's umbreon got out that night. I think she was searching for the pokemon that hurt piplup. She always did look out for me even when I was little. The next day, a huge male jolteon came back with her. He refused to leave her side, so my mom captured him. Every time I looked outside, it seemed to always be raining. Two weeks later, I saw umbreon and jolteon curled up next to an egg in the bean bag chair in my room. When that egg hatched, I swear I saw a ray of sunshine break through the clouds for the first time since that night. It shone on Hope. She hatched from the egg. Hope healed me that day just by hatching. We've been close ever since." Dawn said with a tear rolling down her face.

Nate gave her a tissue and Dawn accepted it. Hope was asleep in Dawn's lap the entire time. The ferriswheel finally stopped. They all exited the ride and left for the hotel where they all decided to have a pool party and a slumber party in the room.

Nate noticed a familiar person in the lobby area through the glass window of the pool room.

"Hey! It's Hugh!" Nate shouted.

"I'm not falling for that again!" Rosa snarled.

"No, that's really Hugh." Hilda said suprised.

Hilbert noticed that Dawn was staring at him in shock.

"Of course! I should have known!" Dawn shouted before rushing out of the pool area.

Dawn ran and hugged Hugh. Everyone else stared at them confused and Rosa grew jealous of the sight. They all went to the lobby to see what the meaning of this was.

"Dawn! What are you doing here?!" Hugh asked shocked.

"I could ask you the same! It's been ages since we saw each other! You have gotten taller then me and this time it's not because of your hair." Dawn said.

"How have you been? I heard what happened and I nearly came over there myself. Are you alright?" he asked.

"I'm fine. Really I am. I just came here to look around. I forgot that you lived in the Unova region." Dawn said.

"What's going on here? How do you know each other?" Hilda asked.

"Dawn's my half sister." Hugh said.

"WHAT?!" they all shouted.

"It's true. We used to play together when we were little. We have the same father but my mom and him got into an arguement and he left and he took Hugh with him." Dawn said.

"I'm only a month older than her. I really do wish dad and your mom could have worked something out. I miss the good old days, DD." he said.

"It's Dawn! Stop calling me that!" Dawn said flustered.

Hugh broke out laughing.

"After all these years and your reaction still remains the same. It never gets old." he said laughing.

"Awesome! Did you get a room?! We're kind of stuck with the girls." Hilbert said.

"Yes. You guys can stay in my room but that doesn't mean I'm not catching up with you guys. Especially you, Dawn. You'll have to tell me everything. Go swim. I'll join you guys later." he said.

Everyone swam in the pool. The pool had two large slides and one small one. People were allowed to have their pokemon in there as well as long as they behaved. Hope, Rye, and Rascal were playing in the shallow pool. Hope didn't bring her doll with so it wouldn't get wet. Hope loved water. Dawn often wondered if she would evolve into a vaporeon.

A recently evolved Rye picked Hope up and tossed her into the water. She ran back to him and he tossed her again. She seemed to love it.

Hope always brightened someone's day. She was the ray of sunshine in a thunderstorm. She gave you something to strive for when you have nothing. She was Hope.

Dawn was snapped out of her thoughts when Hugh grabbed Dawn and held her bridal style. She hated this game as a kid. He was still able to carry her.

"What's my name?" he asked.

"Hugh! Don't you d-"

He dipped her head underwater.

"What's my favorited color?" he asked.

"Red! Now let g-"

He dipped her underwater again.

"Who's your favorite brother in the whole world?" he asked.

"You're my only brother in th-"

"CORRECT!" He shouted before throwing her.

Dawn came back up coughing. Hugh laughed and swam up to her.

"You should have known that was coming." Hugh said.

Dawn splashed him.

"I did. I just wasn't ready for it." she said.

"I'm sorry. Truce?" He asked offering a hand.

"For now." Dawn said taking his hand.

* * *

They were all in the girls room. The guys came in right as soon as the last of the girls got out of the shower. Hope was asleep on the bed with her doll. The guys just recently told Hugh the entire story of what happened to Dawn. It seems that they decided to switch their partneres because, as soon as they got settled, Dawn was leaning against Hugh's samurott and Hugh Had Hope asleep in his lap. Pokemon can seem to sense if humans are related considering how fast the two pokemon took to the strange person they were snuggled with. It was like they've always known eachother.

They talked about why Hilda and Dawn are traveling together.

"I think you two should slow down. Wait until a news report comes up about him." Hugh said.

"I guess you're right. Hey Dawn, maybe you should focus on your contests for awhile. I don't think it would be a good thing if the top coordinator goes home without a few moves. I know! Tell them about that Zorua with telepathy! I'm sure they would love that story." Hilda said.

"Alright. It all started when Ash, Brock, and I got lost in a forest..."

"Hey look! The Sinnoh League Championships are on! Isn't that the boy you like?" Hilda said.

* * *

Paul had won the champion title and he had Spirit to thank. He never even had to switch him out! Spirit KOed all of Cynthia's pokemon effortlessly. It was like magic. Not even her lucario stood a chance.

Paul smiled at Spirit and patted him on the head.

"Good boy, Spirit." He said.

Spirit leaned into his hand. That chancey was going down for sure. The two walked up and accepted the title from cynthia.

"Ladies and gentlemen! I give you the new champion of the Sinnoh region!" Cynthia shouted.

Spirit stood next to Paul proudly with a triumphant smile on his face.

Paul subconsciously wondered if Dawn was watching.

* * *

**That's it for tonight folks. Hugh and Dawn aren't really related in real life. I just thought it would be one hell of a twist.**


	3. Blossoming Love

**Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon!**

* * *

Dawn stared at Paul. He seemed proud of the absol next to him. Dawn never saw Paul that happy but she knew better than to think that is the happiest he's ever been. He seemed more proud of his absol than the fact that they won. This was a rare thing for Dawn to see: Paul is happy and proud of a pokemon. She had never thought she would see it and she really wished she was home to see it. She decided that seeing it on tv was probably enough for him. Then Hope awoke to see the absol.

Hope got up and ran to the screen with her paws against it. It was like she was seeing the living version of her favorite doll. She especially seemed to really like him when they replayed the battles. Everyone in the room laughed at the sight.

"This has to be the most cutest thing yet! I have a feeling that Hope has a crush on someone!" Rosa giggled.

Hope just stared at the shiny absol on the screen. She was on cloud nine at the moment.

Then the news crew decided to interview Paul. He didn't seem to like the camera but he didn't try to avoid it. He couldn't afford to make an ass of himself on tv. Not when he just became the champion. He needed to make a good impression on viewers and fans and an interview can make or break that.

"Paul! Paul! How did your absol get as strong as it did?! I've never seen anything like him before!" the reporter asked.

"Truthfully, neither have I." he said.

Everyone chuckled at the remark.

"Tell us, Paul. Is it true that he's only a few months old?" the reporter asked.

"He's only three months old." he answered.

"How was he able to get at this level in such a short time?!" the reporter asked.

Paul relaxed a little and even seemed to soften a bit since they were asking about his best partner.

"He pushed himself. He always somehow keeps an upbeat attitude no matter what he's put through. If you were to scold him, he would shake it off and strive to be better." he said.

"How did you get him?" the reporter asked.

"I had him since he hatched from an egg. I was training his mother at the time." Paul answered.

At the mention of his mother, the absol jumped up in front of the camera. Hope seemed to giggle as she watched.

"What's he doing?" The reporter asked.

Paul quickly grabbed his absol before he ruined the camera. He was in a position much like the time they were on the phone with Reggie.

"Probably saying hi to his mom. The only annoying thing about him is that he's a mama's boy." Paul said.

Everyone around them laughed. Paul huffed and put the absol down. Suddenly, he bolted and tackled a familiar absol in the distance.

"Speak of the devil." Paul said suprised to see that Reggie and Maylene showed up.

Maylene decided to embarass the crap out of Paul. She ran up and hugged him.

"Congradulations, little brother!" she said.

"Mmph! Maylene! We're on tv!" Paul said while still trying not to sound like an ass.

Maylene knew very well that Paul couldn't shove her off in the middle of his first interview and decided to wound his pride further by kissing him on the head.

"Reggie... Get your crazy fiancee off of me." He said.

Reggie was so glad he set his tv to record this. This was hilarious but Reggie knew that he should let his brother have his time to shine. He plucked Maylene off of him.

"Okay, this is his interview, hon. I let you attack him after this." he said.

The reporters decided to continue with the interview. Dawn squeeled when she realized that Maylene and Reggie were finally engaged. But soon turned her attention back to the tv. Hope was now in her lap because she realized that it was no used to be up close to the tv and everyone else wanted to watch.

"How is it that your absol knows aura sphere?" the reporters asked.

"Because his father is a lucario." Paul replied.

"Is that him over there?" the reporter asked.

The camera was directed at the young absol getting patted on the head by his father the lucario. His mother was sitting next to the lucario staring at him endearingly and proudly. Then the absol tried to get to something behind his mother. A young riolu quickly ran from behind her and hid behind Paul's leg. This was another unusual situation to see Paul in.

Dawn tensed to see how Paul would react. Instead of reacting harshly, he laughed. Now Dawn swore she has seen everything.

"Spirit. It's pretty sad when your little sister trusts me more than you." Paul said with a smirk.

It wasn't that so much as she was more familiar with Paul's scent. She didn't even realize Paul was also a stranger.

"Is Spirit the absol's name?" the reporter asked.

"Yes. I named him because I was training both him and his mother at the same time. I needed to name him so he knew I was referring to him. I planned on calling him absol when his mother left but It kind of stuck with him. I let Reggie keep his mother." Paul answered.

Spirit was a little hurt that his baby sister didn't like him. He crouched down really low, almost lying down, and he scooted on his stomach towards her. You could hear several laughs in the background. Even Paul couldn't help but grin at Spirit's persistence. The young riolu stared at him curiously.

When Spirit was three feet away, she huddled agains Paul's leg. Spirit decided to use a trick. He flopped limply on his side and made his whole body spasm out before letting it go limp. The riolu hesitantly walked up to him and poked his body and quickly ran behind Paul's leg expecting him to move. Nothing happened. She walked back up to him and nudged him again and flinched. Nothing happened. She finally got up enough courage to jump onto his side and jump up and down. Nothing happened. The riolu looked back at her parents with a questioning look. They all seemed to smile and then laugh at something.

Spirit had moved his head up to look at her but he quickly put it back down when she looked at him. Everyone around them laughed at the scene. She looked away, he moved his head up, she looked back, it was down again. Then she looked back at the onlookers with a puzzled look. Spirit finally decided to let her know that her big brother wasn't 'dead'.

He stood up quickly and the riolu let off a startled yelp. She clung to his back and slowly opened her eyes to see Spirit looking back. He moved his head towards her and she tightly shut her eyes expecting the worse. Spirit nuzzled her head and she slowly opened her eyes with suprise evident within them. She finally smiled and nuzzled back.

You could hear a chorus of 'awww's in the background. Paul chuckled.

"Alright, you little pest. Go back to your mother." Paul said.

The young riolu shook her head.

"Rio!" She said defiantly.

Paul rolled his eyes.

"Fine, you can stay." he sighed.

The riolu clung tightly to Spirit's back. Spirit smiled and nuzzled her again. Paul had a feeling that he'll have a hard time seperating the two. Maylene did say that Paul could have her too. He was going to have to think of a name for her since Maylene wouldn't let him live it down if he didn't. The reporters kept asking him questions.

"Will you keep that riolu?" the reporter finally asked.

"Maylene did give her to me." he said.

"Do you think she'll be strong like her brother?"

"Maybe someday but I don't see that happening anytime soon." He replied.

"You have to name her too! It's not fair that her brother get's a nickname!" Maylene shouted.

"Will you name her?" the reporter asked.

Paul hesitated and look down at the riolu. She stared back at him. He picked her up and held her with one arm so that she was laying on his forearm and her head was resting in his hand. This was an old trust excersise that people would do in the old days to pick out a hatchling from it's nestmates. She didn't move. She trusted him to hold her like this without dropping her. She didn't even drop her gaze from his. Paul wore a satisfied smiled.

"She'll be something one day. Isn't that right, Daimond?" he asked as he set her back down onto her brother's back.

She gave a nod.

'someday' she said.

Everyone at that moment froze.

"Telepathy?!" Dawn said in shock.

"Did she just... say something?!" Paul said not beleiving his ears.

'What?! Is something on my face?!' Daimond asked.

"Ab ab! Sol absol!" Spirit said.

'What?! What do you mean they can hear me?! What is telepathy?' she asked.

Everyone stared at her. Paul finally picked Daimond up.

"No more questions for today." he said before stepping out of view of the camera.

The show ended and everyone still gaped at the tv. Then they all started talking.

"I have a feeling that Paul isn't going to just leave her home anymore." Dawn muttered to herself.

That night, Hope cuddled closer to her doll than ever.

* * *

Paul sat Daimond on his bed at the hotel room. Spirit nervously watched to see what his trainer will do to her.

"How long have you been able to talk?" He asked.

'Just today. I didn't know it was possible for a human to understand me.' Daimond said.

"So, what moves do you know?" Paul asked.

"Ummm... I know aura sphere, bite, and growl." she replied.

Paul took time to think.

"I might just have to leave you here regardless of your moves. I can't afford a young hatchling on the team. Not when I'm about to set off to Unova soon." Paul said.

"Please take me with! I want to know my brother more! I want to know you more! I'll get stronger too!" Daimond insisted.

"No, Daimond. You don't even know what happened to electivire and I don't feel like telling you scary stories at the moment." Paul said.

Reggie and Maylene both came in with absol and lucario behind them.

"You heard that didn't you?" Paul asked.

"I heard enough. How about we go with you? My clients won't bother Maylene and I for awhile and I think it would be nice to see new pokemon. I could take care of Daimond until she's strong enough. I'll even train her." he said.

"I'll help too! Training fighting types is what I do best." Maylene said.

"Reggie, you don't have to-"

"I want to. I want to help you Paul whether you like or not." Reggie said cutting him off.

"Same here! We're family and I'll be damned if just sit at home doing nothing! My father will watch the gym for me." Maylene said.

Paul looked away.

"...Thank you.." he said.

"Any time little brother!" Maylene giggled.

"You know... maybe I could get used to calling you my sister." He said.

Maylene ran up and hugged him. It was a genuine hug this time. Paul hesitantly hugged back. He might as well start getting used to hugs as well. The others just looked on and smiled. They really were a family now.

* * *

Dawn got up early the next morning. She decided to shower before everyone else and do something about her morning hair. By the time she got out, the others went to breakfast. Hope was laying awake in bed and she smiled when came out fully dressed.

They went to the breakfast area. The other weren't there for some reason. Dawn went to look for them. She found them all fussing over something and they were all huddled in a doorway that was specifically made for bigger things to go in.

"I thought your's was a boy!" Hilda shouted.

"I hate to break it to you, but in case you haven't noticed mines a girl!" Hugh shouted back.

"I didn't think those two knew eachother enough! Look at them go!" Hilbert said laughing.

Dawn walked up next to them and blushed at the sight she saw. In the hotel, there were rooms where big pokemon could be kept to spend the night without being in their ball. They failed to note the sign that said:** Please seperate Male and Female pokemon! We won't be responsible for any 'presents' they make.**

"Wow! He's huge!" Rosa said.

"Getting excited are we?" Nate teased.

"You're one to talk, Nate. Look down!" Rosa seether.

Nate blushed and quickly ran back to the room with his shirt pulled over his crotch. Dawn couldn't help but giggle.

"I've never seen pokemon mate before." she said.

"Neither have I. This is so hilarious that their pokemon are doing this! Hugh will have to take care of an egg too!" Rosa said.

"Oh no I don't! Dawn, congradulations! They're making your newest member of the team!" Hugh declared.

"Thanks, Hugh... I guess" Dawn said.

Hilda's samurott finally got off of Hugh's samurott. Hilda quickly returned her while Hugh waited for a minute. Soon, the samurott squated and when she moved, an egg was in its place. Hugh grabbed it. The egg was still wet and gooey. Hugh shoved it into Dawn's arms.

"Happy early birthday!" he said before returning his samurott.

Hugh left and Dawn stared at the egg. When she lifted her hand from it, there was a bunch of goo on her hand with the consistency of snot.

"I think I just lost my appetite." she said.

Hilda laughed as Dawn ran up the stairs to wash the egg and herself.

* * *

"Come on, Spirit! What could possibly smell that interesting?!" Paul called.

"He likes the smell, Paul. I think he smells a female." Daimond said.

"Well he only smells her. It's not like she's right there! Get up here!" Paul yelled impatiently.

"An eevee did pause at the bottom of the stairs. It wouldn't suprise me if she had to releive herself before boarding. I guess I'll have to wash that bottom step again." The flight attendent said.

"Since when does Spirit have an interest in females?" Paul said.

"He's kind of in his teens, as you humans would put it. See look, he's gotten bored of the smell." Daimond said.

Spirit ran up the stairs and into the plane.

"Finally. Don't do that again." Paul said.

Spirit didn't pay any mind to what he said. He seemed to scan the plane for the owner of the smell. Spirit ran to an empty row and found a seat with the same scent. Luckily for them, it was the row they were assigned to. Spirit would not leave the window seat. Paul decided to let him have it. Daimond sat with Spirit on his back and she stared out the window. He fell asleep in the seat with his face buried into the cushion. Spirit was intoxicated by whatever kind of scent he picked up.

"Why is he behaving so weirdly? Do you know, Daimond?" Paul asked.

"Like people, pokemon can develope a crush. Sometimes they can develope one just by catching a scent. This is simply just him being a love sick teenager. He'll be over it by the time he gets off the plane." Daimond answered.

"I hope so. I need him to be focused." Paul said.

* * *

_A week later with Dawn..._

Hilda and Dawn now lived in a secret base near Opelucid city. They both will have their own secret base but for now, this was the main hangout for Hilda and her cousins. Dawn sat down and stared at the egg her half brother had given her. Today when he visited, he gave her a master ball. She had it in her hand.

She was also told that the egg should hatch soon. She had been up all night just waiting for it to hatch. Then she heard someone open the fridge. Dawn sighed in frustration.

"Hilda. It won't hatch." she huffed.

No one responded. All she could hear was the sound of someone looking through the fridge. Dawn walked over and saw it was Hilda in the fridge but why wasn't she talking like she usually did? Dawn usually could hear Hilda before she even got into the same room.

Hilda poured herself a cup of milk, grabbed a piece of bread and some manderin oranges, the she went and sat down on the couch. Dawn stared at her. This was unusual behavior: she wasn't talking, she usually warmed her milk at night, she normally never even touches manderin oranges. Something wasn't right.

Then she noticed Hope was in a corner with her back arched and her fur bristled. She then used thundershock on Hilda. This was a move she inherited from her father.

Then a zoroark appeared right before their eyes. He turned and snarled at Hope. Hope bristled. She wasn't used to battles yet and was in no position to fight a strange pokemon. Dawn only had one choice: use the master ball.

Dawn threw it at the zoroark and it hit his head. He saw the ball just before he got pulled in. His face looked purely horrified. The ball move around and wiggled then it glowed and stopped moving.

Dawn shakily grabbed the ball. She decided to put the ball away and wait to deal with it tomorrow. Then a movement caught her eye. The egg on the table was hatching! Dawn quickly sat back down on the couch and watched her new arrival come into the world.

Soon, an oshawott bursted from the egg. It blinked up at Dawn. Dawn smiled in delight.

"Hello little one! I'm your trainer!" she said lifting it up.

Using her pokedex, she found that she was holding a female oshawott. The oshawott looked up into Dawn's eyes. After awhile, it snuggled into her chest and fall asleep. Dawn smiled and walked back to her room with both the hatchling and Hope. She climbed into bed with both of them. Hope curled up next to the hatchling and watched it for awhile. She decided she liked the new arrival and she snuggled up against both her and Dawn. Dawn fell asleep shortly after.

"Rain..." she muttered.

The oshawott now had a name.

* * *

Paul had just arrived in Nuvema town. He had just got done getting Spirit out of the plane. He pouted as he walked next to Paul. Paul stepped off the docks to meet prof. Juniper. She offered him a hand to shake and he took it politely.

"Welcome, champion! It's nice to meet you. I am professor Juniper. Welcome to the Unova region." She said happily.

"Thank you." He said.

Then she greeted Reggie and Maylene.

"Let's go to my lab and talk." she said.

They get to her lab and she gives Paul a new pokedex.

"This pokedex is more up to date than the one you have. I also think you should buy yourself an Xtransceiver so you can keep in touch. There's a shop that sells them nearby. I'd give you a new starter, but that shipment hasn't come in yet." She said.

"That's alright. I won't have the time to train it anyway. If you do get some starters, leave mine with my brother. Thanks for your help." He said before leaving.

Paul went to the suggested shop and bought himself a shining new Xtranceiver. Reggie and Maylene will buy their own soon but not right away. Paul had to hit the road not just to find team Plasma, but also to find a place with strong wild pokemon to train his own.

Paul bought some supplies before leaving Nuvema town. He set off towards the forest only find that Spirit was lagging behind. Paul paused and waited for him.

"Hey. When this is all over, I'll let you have all the females you want. But we don't have the time to be throwing fits over a female you only smelled. I'll even let you track her down when this all over. But right now, I need you to be focused." He said.

"Absol ab ab?" he asked.

"He's asking you if you promise to let him." Daimond said.

"Of course. Have I ever made promises to you that I haven't kept?" Paul said.

Spirit smiled and they both got back to walking. Spirit and Daimond had both softened Paul up. A while ago, he would have just told Spirit to get his ass moving. Daimond was satisfied with the agreement and she climbed back onto Spirit's back.

* * *

Dawn figeted.

"Are you sure about this?" she asked.

"Yes! It's alright. Brutus here won't let it hurt you. I want to look at this zoroark." Hilda said.

"Okay. Come on out!" she shouted as she released him.

As soon as he appeared in front of her, he charged at her, dodged Brutus's attacks and he pinned Dawn. But he hesitated.

"Dawn?!" it said before getting hit by a water pulse.

Dawn got back up as Brutus pinned the zoroark down.

"Did he just talk?" Hilda said.

"Yeah. What of it?" He asked.

"How did you know my name?" Dawn asked.

The zoroark calmed down and his gaze softened.

"Of course you wouldn't reckonize me. I was still just a little zorua. You helped me find my mima." he said.

Dawn gasped in suprise and recognition.

"You're that zorua! I remember you!" she said.

Brutus got off of him when he saw that this zoroark wasn't a threat. Dawn ran up to him and put her hand on his cheek. He smiled.

"Of all people to catch me, I didn't think it would be you. I'm glad you did." he said.

"Likewise." Dawn said.

"Since he's here and our freind now. What will we call him?" Hilda asked.

"Umm... I met him at night... I caught him at night. How about night?" she asked.

"No..." He said.

He thought for a minute and then got an idea.

"What about Dark? I think it's a good name." He said.

"It's your name. I'll call you Dark if you want." Dawn said.

He smiled.

"I am Dark!" he said happily.

* * *

_Several weeks later..._

Paul had just left the Castelia gym. He talked to Burgh about team Plasma. He told some interesting stories but he had no leads. All the gym leaders were the same it seems. Paul even went as far as looking for something in the library at Nacrene city but all he found was a book that told about two heros and two legendary dragons. He will admit that it was an interesting book.

Paul had a different appearance now. He'd changed his look ever since he became champion. He wore the same black pants accented with really dark purple coloring. His shoes were completely black. His old jacket was replaced with a black jacket accented with dark purple stripes on the sleeves and other places of the jacket. The jacket also had a hood. He had started to out grow his old clothes already. His hair was cut before everything happened but not it had grown out a good inch past his chin.

Paul decided to head toward Nimbasa City and find what he could there. He looked up at the sky and calculated that he'll get there by nightfall.

* * *

Dawn, Hilda, Hope, and Dark were heading towards Nimbasa City for some shopping. Dawn decided it was time for a change. She was also starting to out grow her shirts and bras. She was fifteen and she was developing still. She also need a good set of jeans and some warmer clothing because fall was on the way.

They went in the clothing store. When they came out, Dawn had new clothes on. She was wearing a red long sleeved shirt with a white flower design on it. She wore black jeans that were accented with shiny rhinestones(fake) and a silvery-white thread design of wavy lines on the pockets and one big design on her right leg. Dawn had her scarf on and her hair was pulled back in a simple braid.

Dawn decided to enter Hope into a pokemon musical tonight. Ever since Rain had hatched, they were the perfect match to battle each other. Both of them have gotten strong since. Rain even evolved into a dewott. Hope stopped herself from evolving for some reason. Dawn offered her an everstone but she didn't want it. Maybe she wanted to be something else?

Another thing was that Hope was having her first heat. Most male pokemon of the Unova region are hardly affected by it. They would have to be specifically looking for her to notice. It affected Dark a little but he didn't think of her as anything more than a freind. Luckily, she had a normal mentality in this time and she wasn't trying to get anyone to mount her.

As for Dark, he was strong when Dawn caught him. He actually managed to wipe out half of Hilda's party by himself. He did promise his mima that he would get stronger. He really kept that promise well. Dawn knew he was way stronger than his mima ever was. The only thing is is that he is NOT contest material. He beleives in doing things his way and they were far from the fancy pretty moves Dawn would like. Most of his moves were too powerful to do anything with.

They went to the amusement park after shopping to pass the time until Dawn and Hope had to show up. Tonight was a big show and Hope had a leading part. This show was a version of Grease. Basically, a musical is a dance, acting, and lip syncing contest. If Hope does well, then Dawn might not make it back to her secret base before midnight.

Soon, it was show time. Dawn dressed Hope in the requested dress. She looked so cute.

"Knock 'em dead, baby." Dawn told her.

Hope smiled and nodded before running to her place on stage.

* * *

Paul had arrived. He needed a place to spend the night but all hotels were booked and the night was still young. He decided to look around. Suddenly, Spirit caught the scent. It was fresh this time and it was even more enticing. It lead him to the pokemon musical. Paul laughed.

"Oh my arceus! We should go in and see how stupid they all look. I mean, Grease? Of all things for them to do, they pick Grease?! This I got to see." He laughed.

Paul goes in and sits in the back. Spirit meanwhile, was restless. Daimond was growing concerned for her brother as he jittered in place. The scent was on the stage. The lights dim and the show starts. Spirit nearly jumped after 'Sandy' but Paul held him. He stared at the alluring shiny eevee throughout the musical.

Paul meanwhile had to admit that this was actually a good musical. All of the pokemon on stage played their parts well. Especially that eevee. She was made for the spotlight it seemed. She seemed to shine when she lip synced the songs. She even made expressions and showed emotions. Then when the eevee sang 'good by to miss Sandra D' she glowed and evolved on stage but the spot light dimmed when the glow started to fade.

On the final act, she appeared again as a shiny umbreon. She really looked like the bad girl now. No longer was she sweet and innocent as she looked as an eevee. Paul didn't know if that evolution was planned or not. The timing was just perfect. Spirit squirmed in Paul's arms and he whined.

If you thought he wanted her before, he _really _wants her now and he wants her bad. Finally the lights dim a final time and then they come back on with the pokemon and their trainers on stage.

Paul was shocked to see the owner of the umbreon. It was Dawn. His Dawn. He knew she was here but he didn't expect to bump into her so suddenly. He was so shocked that he nearly dropped Spirit. Spirit was pretty much howling by now. Daimond gasped at something but then she broke out into a fit of giggles and the umbreon on stage scanned the crowd while blushing like crazy. Paul quickly got out of there.

Paul put Spirit down as soon as they were outside.

"What's his deal? What did he say?" Paul asked.

"That umbreon is his scent crush. She was in heat while performing and he was howling his love for her." Daimond said.

"Oh great... Just what I need." He said.

He decided to look for a place to stay again but nothing was open. He was walking alone when a familiar voice stopped him.

"Paul?" Dawn asked.

He froze and turned around.

_'Damn she's grown! She's actually starting to look like... a woman. A very sexy woman... Dammit! I don't have time for this!' _he thought.

"Dawn." He simply said.

_'Holy Arceus! He has gotten tall! and hot! I saw him on tv but he looks so much better in person! Woah! I should stop thinking like this! It'll just make things awkward!'_ she thought.

Hope was depressed because a jealous fire type burnt her doll to ashes. It ruined her night... until she suddenly felt something sniff her neck. She quickly jumped back and saw what she thought was a dream. Standing in front of her was her dream mate. He was persistant enough to walk back up to her and smell her sweet scent again. Hope just stood their disbeleiving. She started to sniff him to see if it was a dream.

"Sorry about Spirit. He just... kind of became a huge fan of hers." he said.

"It's alright. I saw you win the Sinnoh league the other day. Hope was all over the tv because of him. She had this shiny absol doll that she got from her last contest. She had never been able to go anywhere without it. It was cute watching her try to carry it when she was an eevee. That thing was as big as she was." she said.

"Oh... so you saw the interview?" he asked.

"Yes. It was funny at some parts but I thought it was so cute with Spirit and Daimond. Then I saw the ring on Maylene." She said.

"Yeh... she going to be my sister-in-law." he said.

"I'm so happy for her and Reggie! I really didn't know they were that close!" Dawn said.

"They are and trust me when I say that there is now a reason for me to leave them. I walked in on them once. That was NOT something I wanted to see." Paul said.

Dawn laughed.

Meanwhile, Spirit affectionately nibbled Hope's ear. She smiled and snuggled into his thick neck fur. They were both high on cloud nine. Spirit had just made Hope's night.

* * *

**Well that's all for now. I'm going to bed. See you next time.**


End file.
